After their 2015 fight in Las Vegas, which was regularly referred to as the “fight of the century” and the “battle for greatness”, rumours are circling that a rematch is on the cards.
The fight, in which Mayweather came out on top against Pacquiao, generated approximately $400 million in revenue for the organisers, with $72 million of this stemming from ticket sales alone.
A further $410 million was raised in pay-per-view (PPV) TV sales to 4.6 million customers in the United States, breaking the PPV viewership record in the country.
Based on these record-breaking sales figures, it is unsurprising that a rematch may be on the cards. In addition to the large demand from PPV spectators, if the rematch does take place, it is likely the fight will attract a significant number of fans looking to place wagers on the outcome.
In this case, expect a a large number of promotional offers from services looking to attract new customers to their platforms.
The Challenge
In July 2019, Pacquiao challenged Mayweather to a rematch shortly after the Filipino beat Keith Thurman. This came in reaction to an Instagram post by Mayweather, who urged fans to stop associating him with Pacquiao, insisting that Manny Pacquiao’s name should “hold weight of its own.”
Mayweather accused the media of using his name to attract more attention when discussing Pacquiao, even accusing them of “chasing clickbait”.
Esther Lin/Showtime
Out of Retirement?
Mayweather retired in 2015 but made a one-off comeback in August 2017 when he beat Conor McGregor. This left him with a perfect record of being undefeated in 50 fights, beating the previously-held record of Rocky Marciano.
Mayweather’s rant on social media could be seen two ways; firstly it could be him opening up the possibility for a rematch between him and Pacquiao.
However, it could simply be an attempt for press attention. His post bragged about having a perfect record and that he has retired before it was too late and while retaining all of his “faculties”. If he does view his retirement in this light, it is unlikely that he will want to fight a rematch.
That said, the allure of all that money may be enough to tempt even the most content people out of retirement for one more flight. After all, he has done it once before. Ultimately, it may be a case of Mayweather choosing between risking his perfect record and turning down millions of dollars. His decision will likely demonstrate which one he values more.
